Jump to content

Jackie Speier: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
Line 60: Line 60:
== Congressional aide, Leo Ryan==
== Congressional aide, Leo Ryan==
{{mainarticle|Leo Ryan}}
{{mainarticle|Leo Ryan}}
Jackie Speier served as a congressional staff person for Congressman [[Leo Ryan]]. Speier was part of the November [[1978]], fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of [[human rights abuses]] by the Reverend [[Jim Jones]] and his [[Peoples Temple]] followers in [[Jonestown]].<ref name="Moving Up">[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/11/16/INGEM3070L1.DTL&type=printable Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor], November 16, 2003, [[San Francisco Chronicle]].</ref> While the investigative team was boarding the plane to leave on [[November 18]], they were fired at by Jones' followers. Five people died, including Ryan. Speier was shot five times, waited for 22 hours for help to arrive and survived.<ref name="Honored Guest">[http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=644 Senator Jackie Speier one of honored guests at banquet], Armenian National Committee of America Western Region, October 2006.</ref> That same day many of the remaining members of Jim Jones' cult committed [[mass suicide]]/murder. Over 900 people died that day and it remains the most numerous cult mass suicide and murder (as some victims were children and others were forced to participate). The investigative trip was initiated by the father of a child member as well as other concerned family of members.
Jackie Speier served as a congressional staffer for Congressman [[Leo Ryan]]. Speier was part of the November [[1978]], fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of [[human rights abuses]] by the Reverend [[Jim Jones]] and his [[Peoples Temple]] followers in [[Jonestown]].<ref name="Moving Up">[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/11/16/INGEM3070L1.DTL&type=printable Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor], November 16, 2003, [[San Francisco Chronicle]].</ref> While the investigative team was boarding the plane to leave on [[November 18]], they were fired at by Jones' followers. Five people died, including Ryan. Speier was shot five times, waited for 22 hours for help to arrive and survived.<ref name="Honored Guest">[http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=644 Senator Jackie Speier one of honored guests at banquet], Armenian National Committee of America Western Region, October 2006.</ref> That same day many of the remaining members of Jim Jones' cult committed [[mass suicide]]/murder. Over 900 people died that day and it remains the most numerous cult mass suicide and murder (as some victims were children and others were forced to participate). The investigative trip was initiated by the father of a child member as well as other concerned family of members.


==Political career==
==Political career==

Revision as of 16:47, 17 December 2007

Jackie Speier
California State Senator Jackie Speier
San Mateo County Supervisor
In office
1980–1986
ConstituencySan Mateo County, California
California State Assemblymember
In office
1986–1996
Preceded byLou Papan
Succeeded byLou Papan
Constituency19th District
California State Senator
In office
1998–2006
Preceded byQuentin L. Kopp
Succeeded byLeland Yee
Constituency8th District
Personal details
BornMay 14, 1950
San Francisco, California
Political partyDemocratic
Height150px
SpouseBarry Dennis
Children2
ResidenceCalifornia
Website2006 Lt. Governor candidate

Jackie Speier (1950 - ) is a former Democratic member of the California State Senate who represented parts of San Francisco and San Mateo Counties.

Early life

Speier was born May 14, 1950 in San Francisco, California. She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Davis, and a J.D. from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1976.[1] Speier is of Armenian descent, and has a Jewish grandfather who fled Nazi Germany.[2]

Congressional aide, Leo Ryan

Main article: Leo Ryan

Jackie Speier served as a congressional staffer for Congressman Leo Ryan. Speier was part of the November 1978, fact-finding mission to investigate allegations of human rights abuses by the Reverend Jim Jones and his Peoples Temple followers in Jonestown.[3] While the investigative team was boarding the plane to leave on November 18, they were fired at by Jones' followers. Five people died, including Ryan. Speier was shot five times, waited for 22 hours for help to arrive and survived.[4] That same day many of the remaining members of Jim Jones' cult committed mass suicide/murder. Over 900 people died that day and it remains the most numerous cult mass suicide and murder (as some victims were children and others were forced to participate). The investigative trip was initiated by the father of a child member as well as other concerned family of members.

Political career

San Mateo County

Speier's political career began with an unsuccessful run to fill the vacancy left by Congressman Ryan after his murder in Jonestown.[3] Speier says the Jonestown experience left her with a commitment to serve, and she has remained in political office since.

Speier was first elected in 1980 as a San Mateo County Supervisor. She was re-elected in 1984 and served as Chair of San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. She was the youngest member to serve on the Board of Supervisors, beating out a 20-year incumbent[4].

California State Assembly

After two terms as San Mateo County Supervisor, she won her bid to the California State Assembly by several hundred votes in 1986. In 1994, she was nominated in a dual party nomination by both Republicans and Democrats for the State Assembly. A Dual nomination has only occurred twice in California history. This dual party nomination was a tribute to her popularity and taking on issues that were of concern to California's citizens such as breast feeding and privacy rights.

Speier was serving in the State Assembly when her husband Dr. Steven Sierra was killed in an automobile accident. At the time of his death she was pregnant with their second child. She was the first member of the California Legislature to give birth while in office. After being termed out she worked two jobs in the private sector, to support her two children. She had been making a bid for Secretary of State at that time.

California State Senate

File:Jackiespeierlocomotive.jpg
Caltrain Locomotive Named after Jackie Speier

Speier returned to public service, and was elected in 1998 as a California State Senator. In 2006 Speier ran in the Democratic primary for Lieutenant governor of California against insurance commissioner John Garamendi and state senator Liz Figueroa. At the June 6, 2006 elections, Speier was defeated by Garamendi in a close race. John Garamendi received 42.9%, Speier received 39.3%, Liz Figueroa received 17.8% of the vote.

As a state senator Speier was instrumental in securing $127 million funding for major service improvements to CalTrain, for which the commuter rail agency named a new locomotive (no. 925) for her. Speier also focused on representing consumer rights[5]. Senator Speier was termed out of the California State Senate in 2006. Speier served as assistant president pro tempore of the California State Senate during her last term.

Books

See also

Template:Multicol

Template:Multicol-break

Template:Multicol-end

References

  1. ^ Staff (April 2007). "Alumni News". University of California Hastings College of the Law. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
    Recent Books by Hastings Alumni: This Is Not the Life I Ordered, coauthored by former California State Senator Jackie Speier '76.
  2. ^ The Miscasting Of Congressman Lantos, November 21, 2007, California Chronicle.
  3. ^ a b Jackie Speier -- moving on, moving up: Survivor of Jonestown ambush plans run for lieutenant governor, November 16, 2003, San Francisco Chronicle.
  4. ^ a b Senator Jackie Speier one of honored guests at banquet, Armenian National Committee of America Western Region, October 2006.
  5. ^ Yee looking to make mark, The Daily Journal, San Mateo County, California, by Dana Yates.

Template:Sisterlinkqsc

Political websites
Speeches
Constituency
Media, press
Honors
Video
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Jackie_Speier&oldid=178528010"